Dont Fear Mistakes

Don’t Fear Mistakes

(Aberration, Blunder, Faux Pas, Bungle, Misconception, Delusion) call it what you like but if you did any of these means the same thing…..YOU have stuffed up!

I would always rather coach someone who makes mistakes along the way because that is a good sign that they challenge themselves and making mistakes gives learning/growing opportunities, more so than someone that ‘plays it safe’ and won’t test themselves and is happy to remain at that ‘safe’ level.

Every time you have an adverse result or lose or a bad training session you are presented with an opportunity to learn and to grow as a person and as an athlete.

It is really only a dumb mistake if you mess something up more than once the same way and you didn’t learn from it.

There is no-one that has never made mistakes along the way, be it in life, business or sport. I should know, I have made plenty.

When applied to the sporting environment there is many ways where it could be considered that an athlete has ‘made a mistake’.

By not attending to even just one of the following WILL affect your future results, guaranteed.

So if you mess up on any of the following it could easily be described as a ‘mistake’ in your sport.

Not adhering to the set training program is a classic mistake. The most common ways that athletes get this wrong are they don’t get the entire session done (do too little), or Do significantly more than the session that is set (do too much). or Do more intensity or speed than is set. OR go too slow. As a coach I have the back of the athletes I coach and I expect the same from them to me. Complete the sessions as set as that makes your next week easy to plan and set.

Seeing your weekly training program and only choosing and completing the sessions that you will ‘like’. Remember, the sessions that are uncomfortable to complete will likely give you the best long term outcome.

Not eating correctly……every meal. The single most uncomplicated thing you will ever do in your life whether you are an athlete or not is eat correctly. It is not hard to have the right things in your fridge and pantry and know what and when to eat based on your training and sleeping regime. Eating correctly requires you to be organised, just as you would as you plan your training sessions.

Not attending to your recovery regime. This is entirely up to you. Eating, drinking, stretching, foam rolling, self-massage, the occasional professional massage, and adequate rest, all ongoing, do it before you think you need it, not just when something feels tight or sore or you feel unhealthy.

Racing underprepared….and being surprised by the result. One thing I always say to people I have coached over the past 40+ years is that you should never be surprised by your event result. Your result will always mirror your current training input and output. The only things that can impact on this is equipment failure that can’t be planned for.

Focusing totally on numbers in your training and your racing. Sure data has a place but it is a mistake to solely focus on data as this will likely give you very variable results. Heart rate and perceived exertion and current effort level are just as important, even more so than data on event day when you are required to go with the winning move or break or you will be left behind. If you have done the work, you should be there or thereabouts.

Thinking that ‘near enough is good enough’. I sound like a cracked record (those of you who know what a record is these days) to my squad because I bang on about this all of the time. Attention to detail at all costs. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that near enough is good, because it is not.

Not factoring in enough family, relationship, friend time. You need your support network around forever so nurture the people that are part of your life 24/7. All work and no play will likely wear thin on your loved ones and the tension and negative energy that this will likely create in and around your home will hamper your recovery and general long term enjoyment of your chosen sport.

And the number one biggest mistake is to expect others to do all or many of these important things for you.

Every one of these things is YOUR individual responsibly.

YOU do the required training, at the required time and intensity, YOU prepare and consume the correct nutrition, YOU attend to your recovery, and YOU attend to the minutest details that are required every session, every meal, and every day.

If you are not making mistakes, you are simply not trying, don’t fear making mistakes, but don’t keep making them.